Small Ship Sailing on Ocean Voyager

I’m a fan of American Queen Voyages. They feature cruises on lakes, rivers, and oceans. When I received a promotional email describing a discounted 15-day itinerary from Savannah, Georgia up the Atlantic coast of the US to Halifax, Nova Scotia, I jumped at the chance to sail with them again. There were 13 ports on the itinerary and I had never visited most. My travel to the east coast has been minimal, so this was a great opportunity to fill in my geographical blanks.

Ports of Call

Our itinerary included: a pre-sailing night and full day in Savannah, GA, then on to Charleston and Wilmington, NC, Yorktown, VA , Baltimore, MD, New London, CT, Newport, RI, Boston, MA, Portland and Bar Harbor, ME and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Soon we were to learn sailing the North Atlantic has it challenges.

Life Aboard Ship

There’s plenty to keep one busy. Think all-inclusive: ground transfers between hotels and the ship, port guided tours, open bar with unlimited beverages, all meals including room service, and enrichment programs. A wonderful musical trio provides daily entertainment. The cabins are well maintained and the ship’s crew attentive and friendly.

There is a main dining room and separate grill for meals. The grill was our go-to spot for a buffet breakfast. The lounge was an active spot and a wood paneled bar at the stern of the ship offered a quiet place for a drink. Meals are a treat; open seating and plenty of options. The typical dinner menu includes a five course menu which changes daily. Additionally, sirloin steak, grilled chicken breast, and lobster tail are always available. The food was quite good and the wait staff outstanding; wine flows freely. Each night a copy of Voyages was distributed to the cabin, providing insights into the following day’s events, upcoming ports, activities, special announcements, etc. There was also a bedtime chocolate treat. Note: gratuities are not included but automatically added to your onboard account. Also available at a charge is a salon for massage appointments and hair styling. The purser’s office doubles as a gift shop.

Keeping Passengers Safe

Due to coastal rough seas in the northeast, we were not able to dock in several of our ports; alternate stops were added and additional days were added in Portland, ME and Halifax, NS. Safety first.

The ship sailed midway through the Covid mess. American Queen Voyages had in place a “Rest Easy” policy…get sick and cancel with no penalty. Can’t get more guest friendly than that. They also instituted an enhanced set of health and safety rules, including free COVID testing. Proof their protocols worked – at the end of the cruise not a single passenger tested positive for the virus.

Ship’s Details

The Ocean Voyager has 101 staterooms and suites with a maximum capacity of 202 guests, and a crew of 84. It is approximately the length of a football field, has five decks (not including crew quarters), and its port of registry is Nassau, Bahamas. The ship’s cruising range is approximately 3,600 miles, pushed along by two Caterpillar diesel engines, each rated at 2,000 horse power. At 12 knots the ship will will burn 14 – 16 metric tons of fuel per day.